1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an improvement in or relating to a line guide device for fishing rods, which is a fixing device with a line guide ring formed as of ceramics or a hard stone and a method for making such a line guide device.
2. Prior Art
So far, line guide devices for fishing rods have been manufactured by interposing an annular holder made of an elastic material between a line guide ring formed of ceramics or a hard stone and an outer ring made of a metallic material, as set forth in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 48(1973)-35747, or inserting a clamp ring composed of a synthetic resin having T shape cross section between an outer or enclosure ring and a ceramic line guide ring from both sides, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 54(1979)-7189, or fitting a split or outer ring made of a metallic material into a peripheral groove in the outer surface of a metallic annular holder into which a line guide ring has been fixed by caulking, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1(1989)-116058.
However, a problem with the insertion of an annular holder or clamp ring composed of an elastic or synthetic resin material, such material is likely to become disengaged when receiving a large external force.
In the case of the device made by fitting a split or outer ring made of a metallic material into a peripheral groove of a metallic annular holder into which a line guide ring has been fixed by caulking and then contracting the outer ring to fix the metallic holder in place, since the outer ring is of the split type it is necessary to increase the depth of the peripheral groove so as to prevent disengagement of the metallic annular holder. This in turn requires the metallic annular holder to be large and poses problems in connection with its size and weight.
In view of the foregoing, this invention seeks to provide a line guide device for fishing rods in which a metallic annular holder for holding a line guide ring is fixed to an outer ring defined by a metallic annulus with high strength, of a small size and light in weight, and to provide a relatively simple method for manufacturing such device.